Pipe organ



v Oct. 21 .1924 1,512,088

C. E NT PIPE GAN Filed Aug. 29, 1922 I J I i "Mg gum v I H lfhm I v Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

CASPER ELDREI) GRANT, OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA,

PIPE ORGAN.

Application filed August 29, 1922. Serial No. 584,996.

To oZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CASPER E. GRANT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Pipe Organ, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pipe organs and more particularly to means for controlling the flow of air to the pipes; I Heretofore it has been the practice to mount a set of pipes on a single reed board and as the valve mechanisms have been located in the air chamber below the reed board it has been necessary, in order to make repairs to one or more of the valves, to remove all of the pipes and the reed board'in order to obtain access to the part to be repaired This has necessarily entailed the expenditure of considerable time and labor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide each pip-e with an individual valve housing in communication with an air duct whereby in the event of needed repairs to the valve of any one of the pipes, it does not become necessary to disturb all of the pipes of the group as the housing containing the valve can be opened independently of the other housings and the parts repaired.

Another object is to provide a valve housing constituting a fireproof casing for the valve so that danger of fire is materially reduced. particularly in those structures wherein electrically operated valves are used with the resultant tendency to spark.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings- Figure 1 is a section through that portion of an organ structure embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of valve hous- 5 distance.

' under normal conditions.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 1. Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates an air chamber having a duct 2 extending through the top thereof. In practice a series of these ducts is employed, one duct being provided for each pipe in a single group. Ordinarily the pipes have been mounted directly on the outer ends of the ducts and the controlling valves have been disposed within the air chamber. In the present instance, however, a housing 3 preferably formed of sheet metal is mounted on the top of theair chamber 1 and has an extension 4 in the form of an inverted trough one end portion of which projects into the housing. Both this troughlike extension and the housing 3 are open at the bottom and are adapted to bear downwardly upon a packing strip 5 resting on the top of the air chamber 1, the housing andstrip being fastened to the top of the air chamber by means of screws 5 or other suitable devices as shown. An opening 7 is formed in the packing strip 5 so as to receive air from the duct 2 and allow it to flow upwardly into the housing 3. The top of the housing is closed by a lid 8 which, in the present instance. has a gasket 9 for sealing it. An extension 10 is formed on the lid and is adapted to be engaged by a pivoted bail 11 whereby the lid can be fastened detachably in closed position.

The top oi that portion of the extension 4 located within the housing 3 has a port 12 adapted to be closed by a concavo-convex valve 13 resting on the wall of the port This valve has a central opening 1.4 and loosely mounted within the opening is a stem 15 on which are mounted spaced collars 16 and 17 located above and below the opening 14 respeotively. The upper collar 16 constitutes a supplemental or leak valve. 7

Stem 15 constitutes the armature of a solenoid 18 mounted in a bracket 19 which is secured within and insulated from the housing 3. This solenoid is adapted to be in circuit with a key controlled or stop controlled switch so that, by manipulatin the proper portion of an organ the solenoi will be energized to shift its armature 15.

The outwardly projecting portion of each extension 4 has an opening 20 in the top thereof in which is seated the lower end of a pipe 21.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that whenever the solenoid is energized. and its armature attracted the supplemental valve 16 will first be lifted from the opening i l so that pressures within the housing 3 and extension i will be promptly equalized. Further movement of the armature will result in the collar 17 lifting valve 13 from its seat. As soon as communication is established between the housing 3 and its extension l the pipe 21 will be sounded by air directed to housing 3 from duct As soon as the solenoid is deenergized the valves will move to closed positions. Should repairs to the valve or its magnet be necessary, the lid 8 can be quickly removed and the repairs made without disturbing any of the other housings or any of the pipes.

As the magnets are housed in noncombustible structures there is no danger of fire resulting from sparks produced. Furthermore the magnets are located where they will be cooled by the air flowing to the pipes.

By providing the leak valve 16 the main valve 13 can be unseated with practically no air resistance.

What is claimed is l. A pipe controlling unit for organs comprising a noncombustible housing, having an extension constituting a support for a pipe, a valve normally closing communication. between the interior of the housing and its extension, said housing having an air inlet for communication with a Wind box, electrical means within the housing for actuating the valve, and a closure removably mounted on the housing.

2. A pipe controlling unit for organs com prising a housing having an extension constituting a pipe support, a valve. normally closing comn'iunication between the housing and its extension, said housing having an air inlet for communication with the wind box, electrically operated means within the housing for actuating the valve, a closure removably mounted on the housing, and

noncombustible means upon the housing for fastening the closure in shut position.

3. The combination with a wind box or air chamber, of a plurality of separate pipe controlling units mounted on the wind box and each including a housing having a pipe engaging extension, an electrically operated valve within the housing for controlling the flow of air through the housing into the extension, each of said housings being constantly in communication with the air chamber or wind box.

4. The combination with a wind box or air chamber, of a plurality of separate pipe controlling units mounted on the wind box and each including a housing having a pipe engaging extension, an electrically operated valve within the housing for controlling the flow of air through the housing into the extension, each of said housing being constantly in communication with the wind box, a closure removably mounted on each housing, and means upon each housing and cooperating with the closure for fastening said closure in shut position.

5. In a pipe organ the combination with an air chamber having an outlet duct, of a housing in communication with the duct, an extension thereon,a pipe supported by and communicating with the extension, an apertured valve normally closing communication between the housing and extension, a leak valve normally closing the aperture in the first named valve and shiftable relative thereto, and an electromagnet within the housing for successively unsea-ting the leak valve and the apertured valve.

6. In a pipe organ the combination with an air chamber having an outlet duct and a pipe, of a housing having an extension communicating with the pipe, said housing being in communication with the duct, an electro magnet means within the housing and in the path of and cooled by an air current flowing from the duct to the pipe, and means operated by the electro-n'iagnet for controlling the flow of said. current.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CASPER ELDRED GRANT.

\Vitnesses LOUIS J. Momns, WV. L. Bnnnm'r. 

